A life with you is better than a life full of what if
by FelicitySmaug
Summary: The party for Thea's 21st birthday goes better than Felicity expected.


**I don't own Arrow!**

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Felicity paid the cab driver and quickly got out, fixing her dress. She slowly passed the waiting line, not missing the looks some of the girls gave her. Felicity rolled her eyes and walked towards the bouncer. Before she even gave him her name, he pulled the red rope and let her through. She smiled thankfully and walked into Verdant. It was, after all, Thea Queen's 21st birthday.

The music was so loud she could barely hear her thoughts. There were people everywhere - at the bar, at the dancefloor, at the vip section. That's where she was headed. After everything that happened with Slade, Felicity and Thea got really close. Felicity understood the young woman and for a long time she was the only person Thea would talk to. For the younger Queen Felicity had become like a sister. She was also the one that made the two siblings get closer again, no more secrets between them, something both Oliver and Thea deeply appreciated.

"Hey, Blondie. Looking good." Roy showed up in front of her and Felicity smiled.

"If I didn't dressed up Thea would've skinned me alive." Roy nodded and pointed at one of the booths in the vip section.

"Diggle, Lyla and the Lances are already there. I'll join you in a minute. Have to make a few rounds, make sure everything's okay." Felicity nodded and made her way to the booth. She felt a pair of eyes following her and she looked around. Oliver was on the second floor, staring at her. Felicity blushed and pulled the hem of her skirt. She felt naked. The silver dress she was wearing was so tight that it left nothing for the imagination. It made her feel uncomfortable, but it was a gift from Thea and she couldn't just leave it on the hanger at the back of her closet. When she looked up again Oliver was gone and she sighed. Walking towards the booth she grabbed a glass of champagne from one of the waitresses and gulped it with one quick move.

"Hey, girl. You look nice." Sara smiled and hugged her tightly.

"Thanks. You don't look bad either. Hey, guys." Everyone smiled at her and she sat between Lyla and Sara. "So, where's the birthday girl?"  
"She's somewhere around. You know how she is." Laurel yelled over the music and Felicity smiled at her. She looked around, trying to find her, but did not succeeded.

After forty five minutes and neither one of the Queens showed up. Felicity's head was going to explode, she needed to be somewhere quiet for a while.

"I'll go downstairs for a few minutes." She yelled and everyone nodded at her. Through the years everyone had find out that clubs and crowds were not exactly Felicity's comfortable zone so they didn't made it a huge deal. It took her ten minutes to go from one end of the club to the other. When she pressed the code for the layer's door she sighed with relief. Finally, a quiet place.

She pulled of her shoes and walked slowly down the stairs. After all the time spent down here, Felicity didn't even needed the lights on to know where everything was. Approaching her chair slowly, Felicity dropped her shoes on the ground and relaxed in her favorite place. After a few minutes she heard a quiet cough.

"Why are you not on my party, Smoak?" Thea's voice broke the silence and Felicity sighed deeply.

"You know why, Queen." Thea smiled and pulled two glasses and a bottle from behind her back.

"Yeah, I do." The younger woman poured wine in the glasses and passed one of them to Felicity.

"To you." Felicity whispered.

"And you." Thea replied and they both smiled at each other.

"Do you want your gift?"

"Felicity! I told, there's no need…"  
"Thea, it's not like I bought you a Bugatti," Felicity pulled a small packet from her bag and gave it to the other woman. Thea sighed and ripped the paper faster than a lightning. Felicity chuckled nervously and watched the other woman carefully. "I've never had a sibling. I was a lonely child, didn't had many friends. In high school I was the nerdy one, the one everyone teased and made fun off. In college I was so busy with studying that I didn't had the time to go out and make friends. Then I moved here. I met your brother and this happened. I've helped Oliver save a lot of people and the feeling is amazing. The best one in the world. But it still wasn't enough. And then Slade Wilson happened and I had the chance of getting closer to you. I got to know you, the real you, your fears, your dreams, your joys and your pains. And you got to know me, the real me." Thea's eyes were full of tears and her hands started shaking. "Thea, you're like the little sister I never had. I love what me and the others are doing here, saving people, chasing the bad guys. And you know why I love it?" Thea shook her head and Felicity smiled. "If I hadn't met Oliver I would've never met you. You always tell me I'm the one that saved you, but you don't see that you did the same thing for me. You're not just my best friend, you are my sister and I love you. Happy birthday, Thea."

Thea looked at the picture in her hands. It was a photo of her and Felicity, taken in Felicity's apartment. They were both a little drunk that night, and on the photo they were making weird faces at each other. Thea left the picture on the table and hugged Felicity tightly.

"It's perfect, Felicity. Thank you." They stayed like that for a few minutes. Thea pulled out first, wiping the tears of her face. "You're lucky my mascara is waterproofed. I would've killed you if my make up was ruined after that speech." Felicity laughed and shook her head.

"You look perfect as always, Thea."

"I better be. I have two hundred people upstairs that will give everything to see me screw up." Thea grabbed the photo and looked at it again. "This means a lot, Felicity. You know that I love you too, right?" Felicity smiled and nodded. "Good. Now, I'm going back upstairs and I expect to show up again sometime, okay? The dress looks so good on you it's a shame you're hiding here. Who knows, maybe you'll meet the one tonight?"

"I doubt that. I'll need another ten minutes, okay?"

"Okay. Love you." Thea yelled over her shoulder as she was climbing the stairs and chuckled lightly. She poured herself another glass of wine and sat back on her chair.

"You can come out of the shadows, Oliver." She said to the darkest corner and heard a quiet laugh. "Seriously, after so many years you think you can go stealth on me?" Oliver laughed as he approached, shaking his head.

"Well, at least we've taught you one thing." They both laughed at that. "You knew I was here the whole time?" Felicity nodded and placed her glass beside her.

"I knew you'd end up here eventually. Parties are not your thing anymore. At least, not for the real you." Oliver looked her at the eyes and she held his gaze. "I have a speech for you too." Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I wanted to thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would've never met Thea. I would've never knew I could be something more than an IT girl. You made me realize I could be a better person. You… You gave me a family." Now it was Felicity's eyes that started tearing up. "I found a place in this world where I belong. I found Thea and Diggle, two of the most important people in this world. I found Roy, the kid from the streets with one of the biggest hearts. And I found you." She paused for a moment and stood up slowly. "I know there is a line that we both are too afraid to cross, but I'm getting tired Oliver. I know why you want your distance. I get that you are scared. I'm scared too. But I can't do it anymore. I… I love you." Oliver's eyes widened and he was about to say something but Felicity stopped him with her hand. "I love you. Not the way I love Thea, Dig and Roy. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with you, Oliver Queen." She stared at him, tears running down her face. After a minute he still stood silent and Felicity sighed. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned her back on him. "Well… I better go back upstairs. I promised Thea and you know how she gets when…" She felt Oliver grab her by the elbow and he turned her around. He looked her for another twenty seconds and then pressed his lips on hers. Felicity closed her eyes and wrapped her hands around his neck. She felt Oliver picking her up and placing her on his work table. His hands were always moving - on her back, on her hips, on her neck. After a minute or two they parted, both breathing heavily.

"I've wanted to do this for so long." Oliver whispered as his thumb traced her lips. Felicity shivered and Oliver had the nerve to smirk. "Did you really think I'd let you leave without you hearing my speech?" Felicity shrugged her shoulders and Oliver laughed loudly. "Oh my God, you're still remarkable." She smiled widely and he looked her in the eyes. "I'm in love with you, too. I was scared to actually say it because… You have seen what has happened with all my previous relationships. I'm not good at this. You deserve better that this. Better than me." He whispered and Felicity shook her head and kissed him fiercely.

"I don't want better, Oliver. I don't want perfect. I want you." He smiled and placed his head on her shoulder.

"We have to go back upstairs or Thea will kill us." Felicity made a little whining sound and Oliver chuckled. "If we show up and stay for another hour she'll let us go early. But we have to be there for the cake." Smiling, Felicity jumped down the table and picked up her shoes. Using Oliver as a wall, she carefully slipped back into them. Oliver helped her on the stairs and they were about to go back to the club when Felicity stopped him.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I am, after all, your secretary." Oliver sighed and pulled her in for another fierce kiss.

"First of all, we both know you've never been my secretary, you don't even bring me a coffee." Felicity chuckled soundly. "I am sure, Felicity. For once in my life, I am sure." She smiled at him and let him guide her back to the club. "Also, you look incredibly hot in this dress." Felicity blushed fiercely as they walked in, holding hands tightly. No one seemed to notice the change in their behavior. Well, no one, except the people in the vip booth they were headed to. They were smiling at them, and Oliver saw Diggle whisper a silent "finally" to Lyla. Laurel and Sara looked happy for them, as well as Roy. Thea was the only one that had her eyes narrowed.

"You know that if you hurt her I will personally shoot an arrow through your chest, right?" Oliver laughed and hugged his sister.

"Speedy, if I ever hurt her I will be the one to give you the bow and arrows." Thea smiled at him and turned towards Felicity.

"See? I told you could meet the one tonight!"

Felicity and Oliver looked at each other and smiled happily. They didn't met tonight but they most certainly found one another. And the night was still young.


End file.
